Reynolds College Blog

Missouri State’s Model UN wins multiple awards at 2026 regional conference

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Several Missouri State students brought home awards from the Midwest Model United Nations (MMUN) Conference, held Feb. 18-21 in St. Louis, Missouri.

The team garnered three delegation awards and nine individual awards.

Twenty-two students from the university attended. Thirteen were from Dr. Ashley Leinweber’s Model United Nations (PLS 333) class. They were Corrigan Bielefeld, Delilah Boggs, Brooklyn Cortez, Ann Costanzo, Ameliya Gerlt, Kerrigan Hand, Madeline Hardwick, Jennifer Hedges, Sean Lay, Emma Mabary, Traven Madison, Harriet Melton and Christian Wood.

Nine Model UN Club students attended as well. They were Abigail Hardwick, Mehmet Karatas, Sewly Khatun, Keira Monroe, Daphne Pierson, Isabella Reed, Thomas Ryan, George Swayne and Ian Toney. Missouri State and Model UN Club alumna Chloe Mitchell also volunteered as legal staff for the General Assembly 4 committee, Leinweber said.

Leinweber serves as faculty advisor for the club. She is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Philosophy.

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Department of Music shines at MMEA 2026

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Several faculty and students from Missouri State University’s Department of Music attended the Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) conference Jan. 27-31 at the Tan-Tar-A Conference Center in Osage Beach, Missouri.

Dr. Paula Patterson, music department head, described the event as “a great success.” Among the highlights, Dr. Daniel Hellman, professor of music education, was inducted into the MMEA Hall of Fame. In addition, seven music students performed with MMEA’s All-Collegiate Orchestra.

Hellman inducted into Hall of Fame

According to the organization’s website, MMEA’s Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have “made a lasting or enduring impact on the stature and condition of music education in the state of Missouri.” This year, the organization selected Missouri State’s Dr. Daniel Hellman for that distinction.

Woman presenting a Missouri music award to a man
Dr. Daniel Hellman accepts his Hall of Fame award from MMEA President-Elect Chelsea Silvermintz. Photo credit: Missouri Music Educators Association.

Hellman said he felt “deeply honored and genuinely humbled” to receive the award. He was nominated for his long-term efforts to support music educators and students through teacher preparation, service, research and advocacy.

“Being recognized in a room filled with dedicated Missouri music educators was especially meaningful,” he noted. “I have an immense amount of respect for my colleagues around the state.”

Teaching is a “privilege”

Being a professor at Missouri State is both a privilege and a responsibility, Hellman said.

“My work involves helping future teachers in our undergraduate programs and current teachers in our graduate program turn their musicianship, their understanding of teaching, learning and research-informed ideas, into the daily decisions that they make with students.”

The rewards are clear, he added, because he sees the impact Missouri State’s music graduates have on students every single day. [Read more…] about Department of Music shines at MMEA 2026

Berkwitz and Brinkman present research at “Metaphors of Religion” conference

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Missouri State University’s Dr. Stephen Berkwitz and Dr. Bryan Brinkman recently presented their research at the “Metaphors of Religion” conference at Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany.

Berkwitz is head of the Department of Languages, Cultures and Religions (LCR). Brinkman is an assistant professor in LCR.

The conference was held Oct. 27-29 at the Center for Religious Studies (CERES). Organizers describe it as an interdisciplinary event that “explores metaphors as fundamental elements of religious language, thought and practice across cultures and historical periods.”

Berkwitz and Brinkman attended the conference as part of a formal agreement between LCR and CERES. Created to foster collaborative relationships, the two groups signed a memorandum of understanding in 2019. Berkwitz helped write the memorandum in consultation with members of CERES.

In particular, LCR and CERES hope the agreement strengthens international collaboration. In turn, the agreement might increase research and course opportunities for graduate students and faculty members, Berkwitz said.

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Sociology students present research in Brazil over summer

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Two Missouri State University students presented their research at the 22nd Biennial Meeting for the Society of Brazilian Sociology at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, in July 2025.

Bruno Miranda Guerra and Sophia Dela Coleta presented, “Cannabis in Context: Attitudes and Consumption Patterns Among College Students in Missouri” at the conference.

Miranda Guerra is a recent graduate of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology (SAG). He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Applied Second Language Acquisition in the Department of Languages, Cultures and Religions. Dela Coleta is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Missouri State.

Sociology Associate Professors Dr. Herbert Rodrigues and Dr. Abby Templar Rodrigues accompanied Miranda Guerra and Dela Coleta to the conference and presented their own research.

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Art history and museum studies students bring research to the public

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Several art history and museum studies students from Missouri State University spent a busy Spring 2025 semester showcasing their research at several conferences.

The students appeared at the Missouri Archaeological Society, the Catherine Reed Jolivette Art History and Visual Cultural Symposium and the Missouri Academy of Science.

The art history and museum studies programs are part of the BA in Visual Art and Culture in the Department of Art and Design.

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